People Consultant
Fixed Term / Secondment (12 months), Part Time (18.5 hours per week)
£49,051 to £57,706 per annum FTE
Location: Chelmsford*
Working Style:
Closing Date: 15th March 2026
Expected Interview Date: 26th / 27th March 2026
*Please note this is a hybrid-working role, with a requirement to attend the Chelmsford office 1 to 2 days per week, depending on business need.
Please note that this a maternity leave cover job-share opportunity. The role will be offered as a secondment or fixed-term contract for a duration of 12 months, working part-time 0.5 FTE (2.5 days/18.5 hours per week across Monday-Wednesday). The pro rata salary range is £24,526 to £28,853 per annum.
This role will work with colleagues across People Services including the People Business Partnering team to support the delivery of the workforce strategy, functional people strategies and the implementation of strategic initiatives across a broad spectrum of functional areas.
Working collaboratively across business functions, this role requires strong HR generalist expertise to improve outcomes, mitigate risk and add value to the organisation and our employees through implementing organisation change projects and managing complex employment cases.
The role will also coach managers, to develop capability and confidence in managing people and change. This role provides support to the strategic business partners, offering challenge, high quality, and valued HR advice, across our diverse organisation.
You will be responsible for:
1. Influencing the design, implementation and evaluation of people strategies, policies and initiatives to enhance overall effectiveness and performance, applying the full consultancy cycle to provide a service which supports delivery, professionalism and productivity.
2. Building organisational capability through effective collaboration with leaders and stakeholders across the council to effectively identify and address organisational challenges, providing expert advice and solutions which demonstrate how the People & Organisational Development service can add value to the business by recommending improvements in current policies and practices, challenging current thinking and driving greater commitment to alternative approaches or solutions to enable successful delivery of the people plan, underlying people strategies and associated people initiatives.
3. Coaching leaders and managers in dealing with business change project implementation (including redesign, redundancy, TUPE) and moderate to high complexity cases, individual performance and employee relations issues, providing high quality advice based on an in-depth knowledge of employment and case law, policy and good practice, including conflict resolution and mediation.
4. Using professional judgement in making effective decisions, ensuring matters can move forward and options considered, taking shared accountability with the business for identifying opportunities for continuous improvement in business outcomes and effective management of organisational risk by coaching and influencing leaders in all aspects of HR, through structured learning, upskilling and quality assurance.
5. Leading the delivery of projects to meet defined outcomes within agreed timescales, working collaboratively across the business functions and with the People Business Partners to positively contribute to the achievement of the Council’s/Functions priorities, to ensure they are implemented and delivered within the appropriate services.
6. Proactively contributing to intelligence and insight gathering, identifying how best to distil complex data into distinct, clear and concise concepts others can understand to ensure such insights can be used to address underlying business issues and improve performance.
7. Partnering with People & OD teams to integrate people practices into leadership, management and talent development, employee experience, wellbeing and EDI agendas, ensuring alignment between structure, systems, processes and culture to ensure that functional outcomes and organisational priorities are achieved in line with the overall people agenda and workforce strategy.
8. Evaluating the impact of people initiatives, measuring key performance indicators and providing recommendations for continuous improvement and refinement of organisational processes and employment practices. Actively participate in the development and continuation of communities of practice and networks to share best practices, ensuring a cohesive approach to people practice across the organisation
9. Managing highly complex and difficult conversations; present, explain, motivate, engage and influence, persuade and challenge at all levels. Take a visible lead in solving ethical dilemmas, considering how they will play out beyond the organisation. Role-model and promote ethical leadership and professional principles and values within the organisation.
10. Regularly updating knowledge and skills to meet the evolving standards set by the CIPD at standards level of Chartered Membership or above with a particular focus on the interpretation of contracts and employment legislation, policies and procedures and application of equal access to opportunities Integrate the CIPD and its framework into all actions, including participation in continuous professional development activities and ensuring that ECC’s HR practices and strategies are in accordance with the CIPD's professional standards and ethical guidelines.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
11. Educated to degree level in a relevant professional field, such as Human Resources, Organisational Development or equivalent by experience
12. Professional membership of CIPD at Chartered level or working towards this
13. Evidence of continuing professional development and broad knowledge across the HR spectrum which can be applied to support organisational outcomes
14. Demonstrable experience of managing complex people, process and systems issues through professional application of the consultancy model to drive results.
15. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong and influential relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, providing both high challenge and support.
16. Ability to analyse people and business metrics, develop insight, write effective reports and policies and implement solutions; using these to influence decision making in the context of the business and to shape and influence others.
17. Understanding of change management techniques and experience of engaging leaders and managers in taking ownership of change. Ability to develop the business case for significant change programmes and manage implementation, seeking opportunities to understand blockages and drive continuous improvement, including seeking ideas and feedback from customers.
18. Demonstrable experience in acting as people lead in project and programme management.
19. Knows how to design and develop people activities and interventions to improve business outcomes; understands the key drivers of employee engagement and how to coach leaders to understand and drive business value from them.
20. Understanding of the broad employee relations landscape and evidence of practical application to influence and coach the business and understands the broad legal context in which POD operates and can apply this to managing complex employee relations issues and mitigating organisational risk.
21. Knows how to implement people initiatives and develops metrics to measure their impact and uses this to adjust and develop future practice.
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about
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Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
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